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This is the first international album for established German roots artist Martin Zobel, produced and presented by the legendary George "Fully" Fullwood, the leader of The Soul Syndicate. Early in 2011, Fully Fullwood, the Jamaican roots-reggae legend, became aware of Martin Zobel's music. Founder and leader of the crucial Jamaican reggae band, The Soul Syndicate, Fullwood was jointly responsible for several hits reggae superstar Bob Marley recorded during the sessions with Lee "Scratch" Perry, and as a bass player, he was a vital part of Peter Tosh's Word, Sound & Power band. Furthermore, his bass lines can be heard on countless other legendary recordings, including those of Dennis Brown, Derrick Morgan, Max Romeo, Michael Rose, Keith Hudson, and Big Youth, to name a few. It is by no means exaggerated to say he's one of the most important musicians since the very beginning of the genre until the present day. Over the years, George "Fully" Fullwood has become more and more involved in producing. When Martin Zobel and Fully Fullwood met in person in February 2011, the chemistry between them seemed to be right, and it was agreed that Fullwood would produce Zobel's new album. Zobel significantly reduced his live appearances to focus on writing new songs, and only six months after that first meeting, Fully and Frances (Fully's wife) were welcoming Martin and his whole band into Fully's Kitchen, their Southern California studio, to begin the recordings. Martin Zobel & Soulrise spent an entire month in the Kitchen, cooking up their new songs, and for the sake of authenticity, performed and recorded everything live -- just like back in the days. The result is a wonderful musical snapshot in time which, in every detail, reveals the spirit that must have been present during those early studio sessions back in Kingston, Jamaica. Beyond that, one is reminded of a sound, the likes of which hasn't been heard for a long time, a sound containing something so familiar, yet different, something new and refreshing.
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